BSOD

Besides being crazy busy with all the end of year activities that require my attention/attendance/time, my computer hasn't been cooperating lately, and therefore blogging has had an added measure of difficulty.

My operating system seems to be crashing for no reason lately.  Several times a day.  Sometimes  I can spend several minutes reading emails/other peoples blogs/facebook updates before it crashes on me, sometimes all I have to do is boot it up, then click on an icon on the desktop before I get the dreaded BSOD-

Blue Screen of Death.

That's a technical term. Or possibly the nickname geeks give that blue screen with with the words in white type face that appears when your operating system crashes. ( I just figured out how to blog from my phone and add pictures. I just haven't figured out how to put the pictures where I want them- so for a visual aid, see the picture at the bottom of this post)

John just think my computer is having hardware issues, in other words pretty much not worth fixing.

At any rate, I just thought I'd write and explain the lack of blog posts lately.  Technical difficulties, busy schedules, and a bit of laziness on my part.  (and I was doing so good for like three whole days!) 

Well, I better go before my computer crashes again.

 (update from my phone 5 minutes later- my computer totally just crashed)

Les Mis Highlights

It's been over a month since the curtain came down for the final time, but here are the highlights from Nick's performance of Les Mis.

I know for most people, upon seeing Les Mis, they have their own list of highlights that usually include the more popular songs like "On My Own", or "I Dreamed a Dream", but I offer you an alternative (some might say better) list of highlights from this particular production of Les Mis. And FYI, this isn't a complete list of every moment he was on stage, or every line he uttered, or every chorus he was a part of, but more like the best pictures I could find of his moments on stage.

(Oh, and something that kept me laughing through all four showings I attended, was watching to see if Nick would forget to take off his glasses or not. For every scene he was in, I would watch to see if they were on. Sometimes I'd even spot him try to slip them off on stage!)

"Look down, look down, don't look 'em in eye.  Look down, look down, you're here until you die."

"You'll have to go!  I'll pay you off for the day. Collect your bits and pieces here and be on your way."

"Come closer you, I like to see what I buy.  The usual price for just one slice of your pie."

"Is this a trick?! I won't pay more!"

My favorite scene of all was the Master of the House scene.  I am sure the Thenardiers were great and all, but honestly, I barely noticed them.  It was just so much fun watching Nick.

He'd wander around acting drunk, and hopelessly hitting on one particular girl.

She'd reject him as the drunk idiot he was over and over again, employing friends to run interference, and other such tactics. 

"Red! The blood of angry men!"

"Black! The dark of ages past!"

"Red! The world about to dawn!"

"Black! The night that ends at last!"

"Here's to pretty girls who went to our heads.  Here's to witty girls who went to our beds.  Here's to them, and here's to you."

"Beggars at the feast. Masters of the dance.  Life is easy pickings if you grab your chance!

That's about it.  I also have a video should anyone be interested in watching that. 

dating woes

Nick's been giving me extra anxiety lately.

He's been dating.

Girl # 1 - she asked him to Morp.  Apparently she was not happy with me for taking pictures.

She's kind of his girlfriend even though John and I don't approve of that nonsense.  I even spied them holding hands while watching Doctor Who at my house a while ago. AAACK. 

He's taking her to Spring Formal this weekend.  Besides the whole hand holding and the gag inducing texts they send back and forth, (as long as we pay for the phone service, texts that my children send or receive will never be private) the whole planning thing is making me crazy.  "Who are you going with? When? Where? How?"

Girl #2 - She asked him to her Sadie Hawkins. 

Since they met at Les Mis, she did this cute Les Mis themed way of asking, and he responded in kind with some changed up lyrics to "Red and Black" and some red jelly beans.

Girl #3-  I think she's my favorite.  Probably because she lives in California. They met at Cross
Country camp and she was in town visiting her cousin.  So he took her on a date. 

Actually, since he doesn't drive, and was unable to find friends to double with who could drive, they ended up doubling with me and John. 

Poor girl, it was her first date ever.

We took them to Cornish Pasty Co., and let them have their own little candlelit table for two.  I tried to discreetly take pictures.

Nick just noticed the flash and was thinking, "Who is that obnoxious person taking pictures? Oh. Right. MY MOM."

I'm sort of wondering if his bad grades aren't necessarily a good thing. Besides not being able to go out as much as he'd probably like, I think it definitely puts a damper on things when you have to double date with your mom.

making a splash

Can I just say how much more fun a good camera is?

I mean, don't get me wrong, smaller ones are easier, and more portable, and a heck of a lot less confusing, and get the job done with oftentimes really great results, but there are moments when a good SLR is so much better.

For instance- Photos at the pool

(and I am sure a seasoned photographer could give you a whole list of ways fancier cameras kick point and shoot cameras butts, but as I am not a seasoned photographer, this is what you get.)

Anyways, my kids are always mugging for the camera.  "Take a picture of me!"  Especially at the pool (which is weird to me because if someone tried to take a picture of me in a swimsuit, they might find themselves, and/or the camera being thrown into the pool)

My kids love the concept of that action shot of them jumping in, or diving in, or doing a cool trick, and I have never, ever, ever, had any luck with that. 

I have taken lots of pictures of splashes, and not really good ones at that. They're disappointed, I'm disappointed.  They're tired and bored from jumping in over and over and are ready to move on to the next activity, and I'm frustrated and ready to figuratively throw in the towel.

But the other day, I pulled out the camera just for fun, and had so much more success! 

The pictures aren't that awesome.  I wish I had zoomed in more, or centered better or something, but they are good enough for now.  Good enough for the kids to appreciate and have fun looking at, and I think I caught some funny expressions, plus I finally figured out how to make my camera take a bunch of pictures in a row by holding down the shutter release button, so that's awesome too!

By the numbers

3811- Our hotel room in New York City

6128- My parent's house number

7098-  Our hotel room in Texas

2205- John's sister's house number

207- The hotel room number John and the boys stayed in a year ago when they couldn't make it to the Fathers & Sons camp out.

I could go on, and on.  Actually no I couldn't because these are the only ones that I memorized by listening to Christopher talk about them for the past year.

Christopher could go on and on. He has so many more house numbers memorized, I can't keep track. And a couple of other hotel rooms I think.

"I go back to 2205, go see Corrine"

"I go back to 3811, go see Statue of Liverbee."

"Daddy, and Nick, and Zach, and Christopher, and Mommy, and Maddie go to 207, go swimming." 

I think he's bothered that Maddie and I didn't join them last time.  It was after all kind of a boys only kind of thing, but Christopher doesn't get hung up on those details.

He finally got his wish.

Because of my surgery, John had to cancel a bunch of trips to take care of me.  Unfortunately, that meant he was going to be short one night's stay for Marriott's mega bonus.  Every once in a while they do this thing where if you stay in their rooms a certain number of nights you get a bunch of extra points.  Like 75000 or something.  

One stinking night.

So John called up 207 (or the Residence Inn in Chandler is most folks call it) and reserved a room.  That room.

And that made for one very happy little boy.

(It was a nice break and a good time for everyone else too.)